April 17th has come and gone. April 17, 1888 was the day my grandmother, Nanny, was born. It's the date I use for the Magic Planting Day when it is unlikely we will have another frost. We have planted 3 varieties of tomatoes - better boys, romas and sweet 100s - several varieties of sweet and hot peppers, squash and lots of different herbs. It will be a while before we can pick tomatoes, peppers and squash but it's been fun to walk outside for fresh basil, dill, chocolate mint, thyme, parsley, chives, rosemary and oregano. If I'm not using the herbs in cooking, I just pick a sprig or two for the kitchen window.
The dogwoods were about as pretty as ever this year and I took a quick cell phone picture of the ones in Lattimore a few days ago. I haven't been in Lattimore much but I did meet Mama and Daddy at Wendy's recently. Not unusual, we ran into some friends at Wendy's that brought on conversation about the Roger's Theatre in Shelby. The Rogers is being renovated now and is really looking great. Everybody had memories of the Rogers, but my favorite story was hearing about Mama and Daddy's first date. Daddy said he had wanted to ask Mama out for a while, but felt sheepish because she was four years younger than he was so he asked both her and her little sister to go to a movie at the Rogers Theatre. No doubt that was big fun for three kids from Lattimore.
Today is Maundy Thursday. Or Holy Thursday. It's the Thursday before Easter when Christians around the world remember the Last Supper of Christ with the apostles. For my Jewish friends this is the time for Passover which celebrates the Exodus of the freed slaves from Egypt. It's always interesting to note the similarities of religious celebrations within different groups all over the world. Most celebrations have two things in common - gathering and sharing a meal.
I like the Quaker's idea that every meal at every table is a communion.
As usual, we have shared many meals with many groups in the last few weeks - with hungry college boys, with tennis teammates, with tennis opponents, with workers from a fun new project in town, with friends at the Lake, with family at home. And of course at Wendy's.
We look forward to more communion this Easter Weekend. And I look forward to my favorite Easter tradition. The old rugged cross is in Nanny's pitcher and is outside on the front porch. Like the feeling of Maundy Thursday, the cross is sad and lonely and barren. But the hope is there that by Sunday morning everybody who comes and goes will add flowers and herbs and all kinds of plants to be a part of the communion and transformation.
Sister's Seven Layered Salad
This year we will go to Sister's for Easter Sunday Lunch. One of everybody's favorite things will be Sister's Layered Salad. Layered Salads can be made in many many ways and is good just about every way. As Cindy says, "When you have mayo and bacon on a salad it can't help but be good."
Sister's Layered Salad is truly wonderful and so recently we were talking about how to make it. Like all good cooks, she doesn't know exact proportions - it depends on the bowl she is using. She laughed when she remembered talking with Kathie about how to make layered salad because one instruction is, "Add more sugar than you think." To which Kathie replied, "how do you know what I'm thinking?" I can just see and hear Kathie's funny expression when she delivered that line.
Sister makes the salad in a three day process so it might be a good idea to start on Maundy Thursday!
Day One - Dressing
And I quote:
"- In a bowl stir in mayo, sour cream, mayo, sour cream
- add a little sugar "more than you think" then a little salt and some lemon juice.
- Stir it really good and let it sit overnight in the fridge to dissolve"
When I pressed a little, Sister said she uses about 2 parts mayo to 1 part sour cream.
You're on your own with the salt, sugar and lemon juice.
Also on Day one -
- Defrost a package of frozen peas and drain on paper towels in a bowl in fridge. You do NOT want the peas to be watery.
- Boil some eggs and cool in fridge
Day Two - Assemble Salad
- Shred iceberg lettuce and shred again. The lettuce needs to be in small pieces
- Chop lots of spring onions
- Grate or chop hard boiled eggs (I use a pastry blender or the back of a fork to really mash up the eggs because, like Mama, I am not a fan of chunky egg whites)
- Grate cheese - "any mix of cheese, Swiss and cheddar are good"
In a glass dish, layer lettuce, peas, onions, eggs, and spread dressing on top. "Make sure you get the dressing out to the edges really good"
Top with grated cheese, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Day Three
Top with a lot of cooked Bacon and Serve
Sister says she likes to use scissors to cut uncooked bacon and then stir it around in the frying pan. It's quicker and easier when you are frying alot of bacon.
Good Luck!
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